Gills boss Peter Taylor is on the hunt for defensive reinforcements.

The unexpected recall of Wolves defender Kortney Hause has left Gillingham short of numbers at the back.

Defenders Matt Fish, Adam Barrett, Josh Hare and Devante McKain are all out on loan while Callum Davies is only just returning from injury.

The emergency loan window closes on Thursday at 5pm and doesn’t reopen again until January.

“I am trying to get someone in,” Taylor revealed.

“I am looking at defensive positions, because we are light.”

Taylor was understood to be close to finalising one deal on Tuesday and was also eyeing up a second player.

Gillingham are unable to recall Barrett from AFC Wimbledon, while Fish has only just started a loan spell with League 2 Portsmouth. Neither Hare or McKain have seen much action for the Gills under Taylor.

The Gills boss admitted he was already light defensively before Hause’s impressive form at the League 1 club prompted Wolves into calling him back, to bolster the Championship side’s own threadbare backline.

“On Saturday we had a subs bench with no defenders,” Taylor said. “Jake Hessenthaler could play right-back, as could Pritchard, but apart from that it was pretty skinny in defensive positions.”

Davies was part of the development team that lost 3-2 to Watford on Tuesday night but he is not fully match-fit, having missed the last eight first team games with a foot injury.

Taylor didn’t have to let Fish go on loan last week but the player wanted minutes on the pitch.

“I couldn’t guarantee the amount of times he was going to play for us,” Taylor said.

“To be honest, it more hurts us than helps us, but if it means Fish goes to Portsmouth and plays 90 minutes then that’s good.”

Wolves’ decision to recall Hause now, rather than at a later date, at least gives Taylor a chance to bring in a replacement.

And he appreciated that.

“Kenny (Jackett, Wolves manager) could have come next week to take him back and then we wouldn’t have been able to do anything, so he has been helpful,” said Taylor.

“I am very confident we will have one player in here and maybe two but I am very confident on one.”